The ballot for the Phillies’ 2017 Wall of Fame honor will come out in a few weeks and Pete Rose will be included on it for the first time.
Major League Baseball quietly gave the Phillies approval to put Rose on this year’s ballot, a source told CSN Philly, confirming a Philadelphia Inquirer report. Last year, MLB gave the Cincinnati Reds similar approval and Rose was honored with a spot in that club’s Hall of Fame in June.
Rose, baseball’s all-time hits king, was one of the stars on the Reds’ Big Red Machine, a club that won back-to-back World Series in 1975 and 1976. He came to the Phillies as a free agent before the 1979 season. He spent five years with the Phils and his leadership was key in getting a talented team over the top on its way to winning the 1980 World Series.
Rose was placed on baseball’s permanently ineligible list in 1989 after he admitted to wagering on baseball during his time as manager of the Cincinnati Reds. The ban precludes him from appearing on the ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
Rose is still on the ineligible list, but commissioner Rob Manfred has shown some leniency in recent years and Rose has been able to participate in some ceremonies, such as the Reds’ fete last year.
Next up for the 75-year-old Rose might be an honor in Philadelphia on Aug. 12.
Fans have a voice on the ballot, which will be announced on the team’s website in the coming weeks. They can select their top three choices from a 12-man ballot of Phillies alumni. The top five fan choices will serve as the official ballot for a special Wall of Fame selection committee.